20th Sheikh Zayed Book Award announces longlists for Literature, Young Author, Children’s Literature, and Editing of Arabic Manuscripts categories

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) at the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has announced the longlists for the Literature, Young Author, Children’s Literature, and Editing of Arabic Manuscripts categories for its 20^th edition (2025-2026), selected by the Award’s judging panels and currently under evaluation.

The 20^th edition of the award received over 4,000 submissions from 74 countries, including 21 Arab nations and 53 other countries from around the world, with Chile, Iceland, and Luxembourg participating for the first time. The figures reflect the award’s growing international presence and its standing on the global cultural map.

The highest number of submissions was recorded in the Literature category, followed by Young Author and Children’s Literature. Next in the ranking were the Literary and Art Criticism, Contribution to the Development of Nations, Translation, Arab Culture in Other Languages, Editing of Arabic Manuscripts, Publishing and Technology, and Cultural Personality of the Year. This year’s edition recorded a 12% increase in women’s participation compared to last year, as well as an 80% increase in entries from cultural and research institutions, and a 16% rise in submissions from non-Arab countries.

 

The Literature Category

The longlist for the Literature category features 11 titles from eight countries: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt, Iraq, Algeria, Jordan, Kuwait, and Lebanon.

1. (The Tear of Granada) by Ahmed Alsubait (Saudi Arabia), published by Madhamin Publishing and Distribution House in 2025.
2. (Nightly Archery) by Ahmed Zain (Yemen), published by Almutawassit Books in 2024.
3. (Births in the Zoo) by Ashraf Elashmawy (Egypt), published by Al Dar Al Masriah Al Lubnaniah in 2024.
4. (A Swiss Summer) by Inaam Kachachi (Iraq/France), published by Takween Publishing in 2024.
5. (Al Tanfa) by Seddik Hadj Ahmed (Algeria), published by Fadaat for Publishing & Distribution in 2025.
6. (Secret of the Al Za‘farana) by Badriah Albeshr (Saudi Arabia), published by Dar Elshorouk in 2025.
7. (Symphony of the Seventh Day) by Jalal Barjas (Jordan), published by Dar Elshorouq in 2025.
8. (Dukhi: Taqasim in Al Saba) by Taleb Alrefai (Kuwait), published by That Al Salsil in 2025.
9. (The End of the World) by Abdelrahim Kamal (Egypt), published by Dar Alkarma Books in 2024.
10. (The Summer of Sarofim’s Widow) by Mazen Haidar (Lebanon/France), published by Hachette Antoine – Naufal in 2025.
11. (Fourrure) by Nizar Abdulsattar (Iraq), published by Hachette Antoine Naufal in 2024.

 

The Young Author Category

Eight titles were longlisted for the Young Author category, submitted from five countries: Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Egypt, Morocco, and Jordan. The list features critical studies, creative works, academic theses, and poetry.

1. (Scent of the Lone Tree) by Ahmed Alrowaie (Saudi Arabia), published by Takween Publishing in 2025.
2. (My Undying Butterfly) by Alaa Alqatrawi (Palestine), published by Arab Institute for Research & Publishing in 2025.
3. (Worlds of Experimentation: A Structural Approach to the Classical Saudi Theatrical Script) by Dr. Jaber Mohammed Yehya Alnijadi (Saudi Arabia), published by Kunouz Al Ma’refa Publishing and Distribution in 2024.
4. (Asil’s Summoner: From London to Jeddah) by Dina Shahata (Egypt), published by Elain Publishing in 2025.
5. (Imagining al Andalus: Narrating History Between Reality and Ideology in the Arabic and Spanish Novel) by Dr. Said El Fellak (Morocco), published by Editions Difaf, Sameh Publishing, Editions El Ikhtilef, Dar Elamane in 2025.
6. (The Companion: A Book About Books) by Omar Zakaria (Jordan), published by Elharf Publications in 2024.
7. (The Arabic Novel and Recognition in the Third Millennium) by Mohammed Aaziz (Morocco), published by Kunouz Al Ma’refa Publishing and Distribution in 2024.
8. (Plots and Characters: A Rhetorical Argumentative Approach to the Arabic Novel)” by Mustapha Rajouane (Morocco), published by Kunouz Al Ma’refa Publishing and Distribution in 2025.

 

The Children’s Literature Category

The longlist for the Children’s Literature category includes nine titles from seven countries: Egypt, Palestine, Kuwait, Lebanon, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Tunisia.

1. (Dark Web) by Ahmed Korani (Egypt), published by Nahdet Misr Publishing in 2024.
2. (Lulwa’s Summer) by Anas Aburahma (Palestine), published by Dar Dinason in 2025.
3. (A Tiny Problem) by Bothayna Alessa (Kuwait), published by Arwa Al Arabeia for Publishing in 2025.
4. (The Village of Darkness) by Souad Sleibi (Lebanon), published by Souad Publishing House in 2025.
5. (My Identity) by Fadhil Al Kaabi (Iraq), published by Noon Books – Nahed Alshawa Cultural Foundation in 2025.
6. (Suns of My Country) by Maryam Saqer AlQasimi (UAE), published by Araam Publishing in 2024.
7. (When Wishes Came True) by Mona Kamal (Egypt/Canada), published by Dar Raheeq AlKotob in 2024.
8. (Lord of the Amphibians) by Hend Saif Albar (UAE), published by Kuttab Publishing in 2023.
9. (My Beloved Daughter) by Wiem Ghades (Tunisia), published by Diwan Publishing in 2024.

 

The Editing of Arabic Manuscripts Category

In the Editing of Arabic Manuscripts category, the longlist includes eight titles from five countries: Syria, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Tunisia, featuring classical works alongside rigorous scholarly studies.

1. (Kitāb al-Fawz), edited by Fares Ahmad Alelawi (Syria), published by Ninawa Publishing House in 2025.
2. (Martyrium Arethae Arabice) (The Martyrdom of Arethas in Arabic), edited by Paolo La Spisa (Italy), published by Harrassowitz Verlag in 2021.
3. (Encyclopaedia of World Religions (6 volumes) by Prof. Dr. Mohamed Elkhosht (Egypt), published by Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities in 2025.
4. (The Dīwān of Abū al-Ṭayyib al-Mutanabbī and His Anecdotes) edited by Ebraheem Mohammad Hamad Albatshan (Saudi Arabia), published by King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language in 2023.
5. (Al-Mu’nis fī Akhbār Ifrīqiyya wa-Tūnis) edited by Prof. Dr. Ahmed Elbahi (Tunisia), published by Souhnoun Edition Diffusion in 2025.
6. (Explanation of Diwan al-Mutanabbī), edited by Abdulrahman bin Dakheil Rabbah Almatrafi (Saudi Arabia), published by King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language in 2024.
7. (The Encyclopaedic Lexicon of the Terms and Tools of Civilisation in Egyptian Official Documents in the 19^th and 20^th Centuries) by Prof. Dr. Essam Ahmed Essawy (Egypt), published by Arab Heritage Authentication Center - Misr University For Science and Technology in 2025.
8. (Kitāb Ṭayf al-Khayāl) edited by Prof. Dr. Amro Abdelaziz Mounir (Egypt), published by Brill in 2024.

 

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award will announce the longlists for its other categories over the coming weeks.

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award is an independent annual award presented to outstanding creative and literary works in various fields such as literature, arts, and humanities. It supports translation activities and fosters intercultural dialogue. Established in 2006 to honour the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the UAE, the award is organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre with the support and sponsorship of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), offering a total prize pool of AED 7,750,000 million.